Back in 1999, Chanel released their Le Vernis Cristallin line, a collection of colored top coats. Maybelline soon followed suit with their Express Finish Water line and Essie with the Glaze Her’s collection. I owned Maybelline’s Blue Water yet I could never find a way to use it. Here are swatches of the OPI Sheer Tints.

Technically, you could wear each color alone but the formula is pretty thick, possibly due to it being marketed as a top coat. Each is shown with three coats.

If Dior’s Nail Glow is price prohibitive for you, Be Magentale With Me is a cheaper alternative. A base coat and two coats will give your nails a healthy look.

Don’t Violet Me Down

I’m Never Ambarrassed surprised me as the most vibrant of the quartet.

If you’re intimated by nail art like I am, don’t fret: you can still use these tints. Here are a few suggestions:

Layered over white (Yoga-Then-Yogurt) (index to pinky: I Can Teal You Like Me, I’m Never Ambarrassed, Don’t Violet Me Down and Magentale with Me) One coat gives a white base a watercolor effect with a sheer wash of color. More coats intensify the color.

Layered over silver (Zoya Trixie) (index to pinky: I Can Teal You Like Me, I’m Never Ambarrassed, Don’t Violet Me Down and Magentale with Me) Sheer Tints can bring color to a relatively boring silver foil.

Layered over silver holographic (GOSH Holographic) (index to pinky: I Can Teal You Like Me, I’m Never Ambarrassed, Don’t Violet Me Down and Magentale with Me) Now THAT’S awesome. Some jelly polishes may be too pigmented to allow the full holographic effect to show through, but the sheer tints are perfect for customizing a holographic polish.

Layered over silver holographic and silver holographic glitter (GOSH Holographic and Lynnderella Shape Shifter) (index to pinky: I Can Teal You Like Me, I’m Never Ambarrassed, Don’t Violet Me Down and Magentale with Me) This is a fun twist on jelly glitter polish sandwiches. While the Sheer Tints may not be pigmented enough to be a base color, it’s great for layering over glitter.

OPI Sheer Tints retail for $9 and can be purchased anywhere OPI is sold.

If you have any unique ideas on an alternative uses for these tints, let us know!

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About Janice

Janice Agagas-Welch is a Filipino Navy brat raised in Northwest Florida living the good life in the Lowcountry. She’s a married dog mom and licensed nail technician who has owned over 2000 polishes over the last 5 years. She also loves food, cider, mid-1990s R&B, college football and anything Peanuts/Snoopy-related.

Great swatches, with all the options! Alone, I think they all look great except the Amber. That said, I love how they look used as topcoats! Can’t wait to find these!

erikatheicyone

Love your swatches. When I saw them over the holo… My brain exploded with joy.

Pammy Blogs Beauty

I really like the sheer tints over white. So, prety. They really are versitile polishes!

http://www.manifestdestany.com/ Destany

Oooh I like the swatches over the silver holo. What a great idea!

http://www.blushingnoir.com/ Brooke @ Blushing Noir

These look AWESOME of the silver and holo… omg just so gorgeous! I’m going to get a lot of use out of these for sure!

Anastasia

So glossy! I love the way they transform your other polishes

http://www.phyrra.net/ Phyrra

I think the blue looks good on its own

Justina

OMG I love what you’ve done with these! So pretty!

http://mynewestaddiction.com/ Laura

You did an amazing job on this post. I love the tips on how to use them for people like me that just aren’t that creative!

Cosmetic Sanctuary

I do like these now that I’ve played with them more. Great post!

FabZilla_Kath

Once again, great swatches! I would love to try these sheer tints!

http://www.slashedbeauty.com/ Miranda Mendoza

I like the effect it gives to other polishes! They look so jelly like

Jessica InTruBeauty

Pretty, I like the purple and the blue.

Nidia Doherty

Wow, over holos! And over Zoya Trixie.. and, and, and. I never would have thought of those combos, but they really do look great.

http://www.painted-ladies.com/ Sheila Arkee

Beautiful swatches!

http://theplasticdiaries.com Kimmi @ The Plastic Diaries

This entire post is just ridiculous. I want everything.

http://www.citizensofbeauty.com/ Citizens of Beauty

I have never seen polishes like these. All of them are really beautiful!

Nini

I still own an old and half full bottle of Chanel’s ‘Glace’ (aaah, I’m too stupid to put the accent). It’s still in perfect condition. I just pulled it out of the drawer today. Gosh, I am glad that never throw stuff away!
I can vividly remember buying this polish and a lip gloss of the same LE. Ah, stupid 14 year old self, thank you! I would spent my entire allowance on high end cosmetic…
I actually don’t use it as a top coat but as a regular polish. I love the blueish tint. I’m so glad I accidently found this post, I’m totally buying the OPI colors! After I pulled out my polish I decided to buy the other colors, well not at $50.